Apple acquires Micro-LED company LuxVue

Apple has purchased LuxVue Technology, a company that develops low-power microLED-based displays, reports TechCrunch, citing sources with knowledge of the acquisition. Micro-LEDs have the potential to improve battery life while offering brighter screens than competing technologies. The company had raised $43 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins, iD Ventures America and others.

LuxVue's VP of technology, Kapil Sakariya, has ties to Apple, having previously worked as a Display Architect and iPhone Operations and Procurement Manager at Apple. Sakariya was employed at Apple from July of 2006 until November of 2011, when he joined LuxVue.

LuxVue had managed to remain fairly quiet over the past few years, and what we know is that the company develops low-power, micro-LED-based displays for consumer electronics.According to TechCrunch Apple acquired the company to add to its hardware innovations area.

Because the company is working on mirco-LED displays, this could mean that the technology could be integrated into Apple’s hardware for better battery life and screen brightness. VentureBeat reported last year that the company has filed several patents on micro-LED technology. At Disrupt SF last year, KPCB partner John Doerr briefly talked about LuxVue’s technology, which he said had “a technical breakthrough in displays.”

The company’s technology apparently interested Apple, who is always looking for more ways to make its hardware power efficient. That’s especially true with the iPhone, as the next-generation handset is rumored to feature a larger, 4.7-inch screen. LuxVue displays could even appear in a future edition of the long-rumored iWatch.